O-linked protein glycosylation involves an initiation stage in which a family of N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferases catalyzes the addition of N-acetylgalactosamine to Serine or Threonine residues (1). Further assembly of O-glycan chains involves several sucessive or alternative biosynthetic reactions: i) formation of simple mucin-type core 1 structures by UDP-Gal: GalNAcα-Rβ1,3Gal-transferase activity; ii) conversion of core 1 to complex-type core 2 structures by UDP-GlcNAc: Galα1-3GalNAcα-R β1,6GlcNAc-transferase activities; iii) direct formation of complex mucin-type core 3 by UDP-GlcNAc: GalNAcα β1,3GlcNAc-transferase activities; and iv) conversion of core 3 to core 4 by UDP-GlcNAc: GlcNAcβ1-3GalNAcα-R β1,6GlcNAc-transferase activity. The formation of β1,6GlcNAc branches (reactions ii and iv) may be considered a key controlling event of O-linked protein glycosylation leading to structures produced upon differentiation and malignant transformation (2–6). For example, increased formation of GlcNAc□1-6GalNAc branching in O-glycans has been demonstrated during T-cell activation, during the development of leukemia, and for immunodeficiencies like Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome and AIDS (7; 8). Core 2 branching may play a role in tumor progression and metastasis (9). In contrast, many carcinomas show changes from complex O-glycans found in normal cell types to immaturely processed simple mucin-type O-glycans such as T (Thomsen-Friedenreich antigen; Galβ1-3GalNAcα1-R), Tn (GalNAcα1-R), and sialosyl-Tn (NeuAcα2-6GalNAcα1-R) (10). The molecular basis for this has been extensively studied in breast cancer, where it was shown that specific downregulation of a core 2 β6GlcNAc-transferase was responsible for the observed lack of complex type O-glycans on the mucin MUCI (6). O-glycan core assembly may therefore be controlled by inverse changes in the expression level of Core-β1,6-N-acetylglucosaminyl-transferases and the sialyltransferases forming sialyl-T and sialyl-Tn.
Interestingly, the metastatic potential of tumors has been correlated with increased expression of core 2 β6GlcNAc-transferase activity (5). The increase in core 2 β6GlcNAc-transferase activity was associated with increased levels of poly N-acetyllactosamine chains carrying sialyl-Lex, which may contribute to tumor metastasis by altering selectin-mediated adhesion (4; 11). The control of O-glycan core assembly is regulated by the expression of key enzyme activities; however, epigenetic factors including posttranslational modification, topology, or competition for substrates may also play a role in this process (11).
Changes in surface carbohydrates of T-cells have been identified during development and activation. O-glycan branches of the core 2 type are restricted to immature thymocytes of the thymal cortex but are no longer exposed on the surface of mature medullary thymocytes (17). Core 2 structures on T-cell surface proteins are ligands for the S-type lectin galectin-1, which participates in thymocyte-thymic epithelia interaction (18). The elimination of Core 2 structures from the thymocyte cell surface was found to be essential for controlled apoptosis mediated by galectin-1 (19).
Core 2 β6GlcNAc-transferase activity is carried out by more than one enzyme isoform. The first Core 2 β6GlcNAc-transferase isoform was initially identified as a critical enzyme in blood cell development and differentiation and designated leukocyte form or L-Form (C2GnT-L)(12). The gene encoding C2GnT-L has been cloned by expression cloning from a cDNA library of the human promyelocytic leukemia cell line HL-60 (13). This gene has now been renamed as C2GnT1 (14). Using the C2GnT1 sequence as a probe for BLAST analysis of the human expressed sequence tag database, a homologous gene encoding a second Core 2 β6GlcNAc-transferase isoform has been identified and designated C2/4GnT (15) and C2GnT-M (16). This gene has now been renamed as C2GnT2 (14).
C2GnT1 was predicted to control synthesis of core 2 selectin ligands in leukocytes and lymphoid tissues, however, mice deficient in C2GnT1 exhibited only partial reduction in selectin ligand production and no significant changes in lymphocyte homing properties (Ellies, L. G., et al. 1998, Immunity 9: 881–890). One possible explanation for these results would be the expression of additional Core 2 β6GlcNAc-transferases. C2GnT2 does not appear to be a candidate, as its expression pattern is restricted to mucous secreting organs (15, 16).
Consequently, there exists a need in the art for detecting as yet unidentified UDP-N-acetylglucosamine: Galactose-β1,3-N-acetylgalactosamine-α-R (GlcNAc to GalNAc) β1-6 N-acetylglucosaminyltransferases and identifying the primary structures of the genes encoding such enzymes. The present invention meets this need, and further presents other related advantages.